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WHAT'S IN YOUR BUCKET?

I was just reading a story about Steven Sutton. He is a 19 year old terminally ill cancer patient from England. Steven took a picture of himself from his hospital bed posted it to Facebook and raised one million dollars for cancer research. Not many people in his position would think to spend their last days on this earth trying to improve the future outlook for others who might suffer a similar fate. I usually see stories about people who are facing their own mortality, enjoying something big that is part of a final request. Unlike their healthier counterparts they must create and act on a bucket list with a specific time frame.

Reading this young man’s story made me realize that all of the items in my bucket are all about ME. They are the things I would like to enjoy to bring myself some pleasure before I leave this life. I had never given any thought to leaving a legacy behind that would benefit anyone else. It is not that I am a selfish person, but I was looking at this bucket list concept from a vantage point of having an undetermined amount of time.

There are a number of things that I have placed on my new bucket list. They include those projects I had placed in the tomorrow folder. For me tomorrow represents the day that never comes.I have placed the tomorrow folder in the recycling bin that will be picked up next trash day. I spent some hours reorganizing which projects to work on first. Those organizations and groups I had planned on working with in the future will now be part of my present instead.

What is on your bucket list, that would benefit others even when you are gone? You could begin building your legacy today. You do not need money to do this. Just by your involvement and using the gifts you have within yourself is enough of a legacy to impact many. But even if you only impact one person, that is one more than you would have without any effort at all!